Richard Knecht, MS
Richard Knecht has delivered program operations, leadership, strategic planning and training services to public and private healthcare and human service systems for more than 29 years.
Richard’s consultation capacities include assisting organizations to create and implement Strategic Planning processes and Quality Management plans to meaningfully support the monitoring and measurement of team performance, and to communicate those outcomes to others with clarity. When properly executed, these internal systems allow you to focus your energies and implement lasting change in the pursuit of your “True North.” Behavioral Healthcare organizations in need of Physician Recruitment, Practice Management or development of Telehealth services may benefit from Richard’s experience in operational and clinical administration, as you build service teams and put organizational processes in place in support of effective outcomes.
Richard has conducted Accreditation Readiness and site visit preparation in multiple settings. Your team will often benefit in unpredictable ways from an investment in accreditation, and he can assist your agency to measure its readiness, and complete and maintain successful accreditation.
He can assist non-profit service organizations to identify real world solutions that will support and sustain long-term success, with leadership coaching, revenue expansion, board development or program design and implementation. Grant writing and fund development are the life blood of your agency. Richard has managed grant application and fulfillment in both public agency and community-based settings, and can assist you in tapping into and maximizing your financial partnerships.
Richard is the former Chief Operating Officer of a large behavioral health hospital, and the former Sr. Vice President of Program Operations at the River Oak Center for Children. He recently served as California’s first Transformation Manager, providing guidance and cross-system statewide technical assistance to multiple agencies in building shared management processes for children and families. With special awareness of the unique challenges public child serving agencies face, Richard brings creative and effective solutions from his 10 years directing Placer County’s highly regarded children’s system and his 16 years in private sector leadership. He is past President of the Board of Directors at Ifoster.org, the country’s online resource portal for Foster and Kinship care youth and their providers.
Morgen Humes, MSW
Morgen Humes’ consulting and grant writing services are grounded in over 20 years of professional experience, which includes for-profit and nonprofit consulting, volunteer work and executive leadership of a large nonprofit. In addition to bringing excellent experience to any endeavor, she brings a positive attitude as well as a natural inclination to accomplish goals and solve problems creatively.
Morgen started her career in the organizational psychology department of an international technology company. Later, she became a founding employee for a small management consulting start-up. In keeping with her abiding passion for supporting organizations that make a positive social impact, she left the for-profit world to go back to school to earn her Master’s in Social Welfare, Management and Planning, from UC Berkeley (2000). She then worked as an independent consultant and then project coordinator for a federal wraparound demonstration project. Next, as the director of Training and Research and the Co-Director of Strategic Initiatives at Seneca, she managed several large training contracts, helped write successful grants and developed collaborative relationships with community, county, and state partners.
She currently writes grants for Safe & Sound (formerly the San Francisco Child Abuse Prevention Council), with approximately 90% of grants submitted being awarded. Other clients have included the San Francisco Unified School District, Seneca Family of Agencies, and other Bay Area organizations. She has authored a number of successful large federal grants for California and Iowa clients.
Throughout her working life, Morgen always found time to volunteer. She continues this tradition as president of the board of FOGG Theatre and as a fundraising captain at her daughter’s middle school. Not long after the birth of her second child, she began consulting in order to better integrate her passion for supporting the work of nonprofits with motherhood and her dedication to community involvement.
Alison Tudor, MPA
Alison Tudor has over 18 years of experience in social services in the nonprofit space. With a Master of Public Administration specializing in Gender-Based Violence, her strategic and visionary leadership as an Executive Director for over 10 years has placed her in a position to help other nonprofits or organizations focusing on social services work.
In grant writing and management, she skillfully aligns agency objectives with funders’ priorities, ensuring efficient access to crucial funding opportunities. She excels in organizational and leadership development, fortifying core values and resilience within teams, thus fostering adaptable and robust leadership structures.
Her strength in collaborative and partnership building has fostered strategic alliances, enhancing organizational capabilities and reach. Her deep understanding of programmatic capacity building has led to significant strides in addressing complex social issues such as homelessness and violence prevention. With a keen focus on stakeholder engagement, she crafts robust communication strategies to align stakeholder interests with organizational goals effectively.
As a pragmatic and insightful nonprofit manager, she optimizes resources and processes for maximum impact and sustainability. Her commitment to social justice and an intersectional approach informs her work, making her a uniquely empathetic and effective consultant ready to elevate your agency to new heights.
Gretchen Schroeder, MPH
Gretchen Schroeder is a community health strategist with experience in public health policy, program implementation and management, and systems change. With over 20 years of experience working with community-based organizations, counties, and healthcare providers to transition to new Medi-Cal programs, payment models, and contracts, Gretchen’s expertise is in translating policies into meaningful change.
Since 2018, Gretchen has been involved in design, development and piloting of CalAIM’s Whole Person Care programs, and their evolution to Enhanced Care Management and Community Supports. Through her collaborative facilitation style, Gretchen focused on engaging stakeholders to evolve program design, break down silos, and address barriers and challenges.
Prior to her work on Whole Person Care, Gretchen was a consultant to community-based organizations, counties, and school districts around the state on the Medi-Cal Administrative Activities program. She is a highly effective trainer for broad audiences on technical aspects of the Medi-Cal program. She enjoys breaking down complex topics for her clients.
Gretchen’s passion is in serving vulnerable populations. In addition to her previously listed work, her experience working in food banks, leadership development programs for non-profit staff, and the press office for the federal Department of Health and Human Services has given her many diverse skills she brings to her clients and her consulting. She is committed to creating opportunities for people and communities to live healthier lives with community-based solutions that advance health equity and create sustainable health systems.
Baljit Hundal, MSW
Baljit Hundal, M.S.W., has built a thirty-year career in the Health and Human Services arena and has worked in the private and public sectors throughout California and New York City. Ms. Hundal has held several significant leadership roles over her career, with her most recent role as the Child Welfare Director and Local Mental Health Director for a small county in California. Ms. Hundal has taken the lead to implement several initiatives and reforms over the past 10 years which include Extended Foster Care (Merced County), Katie A (Merced County), Continuum of Care (AB 403-Mariposa County) and recently was the county lead for CalAim Implementation in Mariposa County.
Ms. Hundal understands organizational culture and has assisted with significant changes in the organization with practice and philosophy in Mariposa County as the lead for the consolidation of 3 county departments into 1 superagency and shifting to an agency-wide System of Care Framework.
Ms. Hundal also has experience with disaster work and has been the lead for mass care and shelter and recovery work and has helped to stand up Local Assistance Centers after significant loss and damage from wildfires.
Ms. Hundal is also an instructor for UC Davis Extension, Center for Human Services since 2016 and recently became an instructor for Central California Training Academy, Bay Area Academy and Child Welfare Development Services (CWDS) is a program of the Academy for Professional Excellence (Southern Academy). Ms. Hundal is an instructor for Child Welfare Social Worker Core, Supervisor Core and also provides leadership training.
Dave McManus
Dave McManus has recently completed a distinguished Juvenile Justice career with more than 25 years of experience and extensive expertise in probation, child welfare, mental health and education systems.
David was the Asst. Chief in Placer County, and has overseen and administered Juvenile Justice Commissions, administered JJCPA services and programs, and has provided legislative analysis. He co-designed and implemented one of the state’s most successful youth diversion programs in 2005.
His leadership competencies include the 241.1 Dual Jurisdiction protocol, providing administrative oversight for Internal Affairs investigations, hiring process/background investigations, training, and implementation of complex and transformational AB 109 plans.
Marc Nigel, MA
Marc Nigel, M.A., brings more than 22 years of program and management expertise to IHSG. He began his career as a classroom educator, and quickly distinguished himself as a leader, becoming a school administrator and principal.
Marc has, for the last 15 years, developed and implemented celebrated programs for Adult and Juvenile Probation and Education systems. Implementing evidenced-based corrections and alternative education programming can be a challenging endeavor, and requires sensitivity and commitment on many fronts. Marc has effectively built exceptional and unique programming for clients throughout Northern California, including Sacramento County Probation, Placer County Probation, Sacramento Police and Sherriff’s Department, and Placer County’s Children’s System of Care. He has trusted partnerships with the 30 School Districts within Sacramento, Yolo, and Placer Counties.
He has unique capacity in the design, re-engineering, and implementation of community schools, re-entry programs, and prevention and diversion programming, achieving both cost avoidance for counties and service effectiveness for participants. He has helped many clients identify business and fiscal accountabilities to enhance revenue flow and reduce costs. His knowledge of federal, state, and other financial resources available to school districts and their partners presents particular value for clients.
Marc possesses knowledge of curriculum and instruction design, alternative programming, student based instruction, instructional evaluation, and staff development. In addition to his graduate academic preparation, he is a fellow of the Georgetown University – Center of Juvenile Justice Reform.
Bill Richardson
Bill Richardson is a talented and dedicated manager with over thirty years of leadership and administration experience in a wide range of community-based organizations, including group homes, STRTPs, foster care, adoption, mental health. He has served as a Program Director, social worker, adoption worker, program developer, and training director.
Bill has helped organizations to effectively restructure and has been a trusted coach to managers and leaders. He has provided Employee Assistance services, using Love and
Logic and Trust Based Relational Intervention frameworks. He is known for his expertise in organizational span of control and program development, his ability to conduct thorough organizational culture assessments and he’s a gifted fundraising and event manager.
He has a proven track record of success in creating positive change within social service organizations, and is highly regarded for his strategic thinking, communication and analytical skills, and an ability to inspire and motivate others.
In addition to his work in social services, Bill is a sought-after speaker and trainer, and has presented at numerous conferences and workshops on topics such as leadership development, organizational change, and program development.
Laura Richardson
Laura Richardson brings a wealth of nonprofit experience to her consultancy work at IHSG. With nearly two decades of service at a Non-Governmental, community-based organization, she has developed extensive expertise in the fields of foster care, adoption, and residential care management processes. Her deep knowledge of operational and program aspects in these service areas has allowed her to become a trusted resource for colleagues and clients.
Laura can assist your agency in readiness for and execution of CARF accreditation and other quality improvement processes. She is a gifted technical writer, specializing in grant development, drafting, and editing policy and program statements, RFP response and mission and vision creation. Laura has exceptional project management skills, ensuring that important initiatives are executed on time and within budget, and she can both create and support your project operations or coach and train your teams to do likewise.
Laura is highly regarded for her capacity to manage stressful organizational processes with kindness, empathy, and integrity. Whether working with colleagues, clients, or community members, Laura brings a positive attitude and a collaborative spirit to everything she does.
Amanda Sharp, MBA
Amanda Sharp has an MBA from California State University, Chico. She is a former County Department head and Social Services Director having worked in three California counties. Amanda maintains longstanding relationships with other agency directors, associations, government agencies and advocates.
She has served on Juvenile Justice and First Five commissions in two counties and maintains strong relationships with the California Employment Development Department, colleagues from Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act agencies, colleges and county Offices of Education. She is a former board member for the United Way and the Child and Family Policy Institute of California, and executive board member of California County Welfare Directors, and has served as a funder/partner to a variety of local service providers and nonprofits.
Her broad quality and oversight experiences include In Home Supportive Services & Public Authority, Adult Protective Services, Children’s Protective Services, Housing Authority, Homeless and Housing Services, CalWORKs and Welfare to Work, and Medi-Cal/CalFresh. Amanda served an integral role in the design of CalOAR, serving as a primary workgroup member in state-led work sessions and committees. Several of her innovative workforce and housing programs were recognized by the National Association of Counties and California State Association of Counties. As a former agency director, she recognizes the importance of completing a quality product to both client and funder standards.
Stefanie F. Smith, PhD
Stefanie F. Smith, Ph.D is a licensed clinical psychologist who brings 30 years of youth and family focused experience across a range of sectors including public and private school education, community mental health, crisis response, health care/hospital, legal, non-profit, residential, and undergraduate and graduate training. She has served as direct service provider (teacher and psychologist), researcher and program evaluator, consultant, supervisor, trainer, professor, and executive leadership. She specializes in strategic planning, program development, and evaluation design. Her overarching expertise is in trauma specific services, and trauma-responsive care.
Currently, Dr. Smith serves as the chair for the Cultural Diversity Special Interest Group for the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, member of the Diversity Committee to ISTSS’s board, and a contributing editor to Stresspoints. She is an affiliate member of the National Child Traumatic Stress Network.
Dr. Smith has experience presenting and training in the area of child trauma, adult trauma, complex trauma, and post-traumatic stress disorder, logic-model development, and program evaluation at the local, national, and international levels. She also has published several articles and book chapters in the field of trauma and is a co-editor of the book, International Perspectives on Traumatic Stress. Current foci include the neurophysiological impact of complex trauma, body-based interventions for trauma, and implementing trauma-informed systems. To that end, Dr. Smith has worked on helping develop trauma-informed practices for numerous schools, youth-serving agencies, and government departments. She also has received grants focused on developing and teaching program evaluation.
Dr. Smith earned a Bachelor’s in English and Psychology from Georgetown University, a teaching credential and Master’s in Education from Stanford Teacher Education Program (Stanford University) (the S.T.E.P. multicultural education program), and a Ph.D. from University of Connecticut. She completed her postdoctoral fellowship at the Trauma Center in Boston/Brookline.
Jarred Vermillion
Jarred Vermillion has been working with families and communities for nearly two decades. In his 2018 TEDx talk, he tells his personal story of surviving trauma while navigating Systems of Care as a consumer youth and eventually earning his bachelors in Psychology from SDSU. Using his education and transformational experiences, he strives to increase staff and system’s ability to engage and empower families.
Jarred has provided consultant/instructor services to the Resource Center for Family Focused Practice at UC Davis for almost a decade, and agencies from across California, including the CA Department of Social Services, and San Diego County have recognized his dedication with awards for his commitment and leadership in supporting youth, families, and their systems of care.
He and his partners at the Heroes initiative are dedicated to coaching, training and inspiring Wraparound implementation processes for organizations serving youth, adults, families and wicked complex circumstances across their communities. Jarred recently completed a major project with the National Center for Excellence and Innovation as a master trainer and specialist, where he helped train, coach and certify Wraparound across the United States. Jarred brings more than passion and excitement to the table, he brings experience, knowledge and real life examples to his work.